Yemeni agriculture: Historical overview, policy lessons and prospects

Yemen has a rich agricultural heritage that goes back over a thousand years. Climate and population changes, foreign intervention, civil wars, export markets, exchange rates and policy experiments have all played significant roles in the ebb and flow of Yemeni agriculture. The character of Yemeni agriculture also varies considerably from region to region largely according to differences in the quantity and timing of rainfall and altitude. This paper takes advantage of this unusually rich and varied experience to draw policy lessons and assess future prospects.